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Unit 4 of Japan's Genkai Nuclear Power Plant Receives 72 New Fuel Assemblies

Kyushu Electric Power Co. announced on September 1, 2026, that Unit 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant has completed the receipt of a batch of new fuel. The new fuel was processed and shipped by Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd., with transportation carried out from August 27 to September 1, 2026. According to Kyushu Electric Power, the new fuel delivered to Unit 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant consists of 72 fuel assemblies, transported in 36 shipping containers via both land and sea routes. Two control rod assemblies were also transported along with this batch of fuel. Fuel used in nuclear power plants...

2026-09-02

Sejong City Requests National Support for Proton Cancer Therapy Center Budget

On September 2, 2026, the Democratic Party of Korea and Sejong City held their first budget policy consultation meeting at the Sejong City Government to discuss key agenda items and budget support for the city. At the meeting, Sejong City Mayor Cho Sang-ho requested the Democratic Party's attention to several issues, including securing national funding for the construction of a cancer proton therapy center, improving the general grant system for Sejong City, and promoting the passage of the Special Act on the Administrative Capital within the year. After the closed-door consultation, a relevant spokesperson stated in a briefing that the meeting proposed allocating 300 million KRW each in the next year's national budget for a feasibility study on the construction of the cancer proton therapy center and for the formulation of the basic plan for the National Central Bioresource Center.

2026-09-02

Hiconics Signs Contract for Main Helium Circulator Variable Frequency Drive Project at Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Generation Plant

Recently, Hiconics signed a contract for the main helium circulator variable frequency drive (VFD) project for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) at the Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Plant, and will supply multiple sets of HC2000W four-quadrant water-cooled high-voltage VFDs for the project. This marks the second application of Hiconics' VFD technology in drive scenarios for key equipment related to Generation IV nuclear power, following the HTGR demonstration project at Huaneng Shandong Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Plant. The Jiangsu Xuwei Nuclear Heating and Power Generation Project is a comprehensive nuclear energy utilization project that adopts a coordinated operation model of "nuclear reactor – turbine generator unit – heating system," focusing primarily on industrial heating while also supplying electricity. Phase I of the project plans to construct two Hualong One pressurized water reactors and one HTR-PM600S high-temperature gas-cooled reactor...

2026-09-02

Russia's Smolensk NPP begins loading improved nuclear fuel

On September 1, 2026, local time, Unit 1 of Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant began gradually loading improved nuclear fuel. The fuel assemblies feature adjusted uranium-235 enrichment and erbium oxide content, as part of the RBMK-1000 reactor modernization program aimed at enhancing unit operational safety and efficiency. The Smolensk NPP is part of the electric power division of Rosatom and is operated by Rosenergoatom. The fuel assemblies loaded into the core this time use lower uranium-235 enrichment and lower erbium oxide content. According to relevant calculations, the new fuel can compensate for changes in core neutronics parameters following graphite stack repair...

2026-09-02

U.S. Plans to Build Second Uranium Conversion Plant

Raven-Flint Nuclear Corporation announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy Startup Platform project advanced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and plans to build a pilot uranium conversion facility named "Torch" at INL. The company stated that the Torch facility aims to become the second uranium conversion plant in the United States, with a designed annual processing capacity of 500 metric tons of uranium, capable of converting uranium into uranium hexafluoride (UF6). According to the company, this scale can meet the fuel demand of two large nuclear reactors. Upon project completion, it is intended to serve the U.S. Department of Energy and its affiliated agencies, and may provide domestically produced uranium hexafluoride for specific needs.

2026-09-02

Lightbridge Multi-Zone Fuel Element Granted Japanese Patent, Covering Fuel Assemblies and 3D Printing Manufacturing Methods

Advanced nuclear fuel technology company Lightbridge Corporation recently announced that its Japanese patent application for a multi-zone fuel element has been granted by the Japan Patent Office. The patent covers the fuel element design, fuel assemblies incorporating the design, and methods of producing the element via additive manufacturing, i.e., 3D printing. According to the disclosure, the patent involves a fuel rod composed of three layers of different materials. The thickness of the three layers can vary along the length of the fuel rod, thereby regulating fuel performance at different positions in the reactor to enhance reactor operating performance and safety margins. In addition to the fuel rod itself, the patent also covers fuel assemblies for mounting these fuel rods.

2026-09-02

South Korea's Nuclear Safety Regulatory Budget for 2027 Rises to KRW 303 Billion

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) of South Korea announced on September 1 that it has allocated KRW 303 billion for the 2027 budget, an increase of KRW 10.4 billion from this year. The new budget focuses on areas such as small modular reactor regulation, spent nuclear fuel safety, nuclear facility decommissioning review, environmental radiation monitoring, and nuclear safety information disclosure. Regarding small modular reactors, as non-light water reactor-type small modular reactor development projects aim to obtain licenses by the early 2030s, South Korea will invest KRW 8 billion in R&D to establish a new safety evaluation system. In addition, in line with the preliminary review system set to take effect in November this year, the government has allocated KRW 2.7 billion to conduct preliminary reviews of non-light water reactor-type small modular reactors expected to file applications next year. This system allows applicants to request regulatory review of reactor designs before formally submitting license applications.

2026-09-02

Mobilization Meeting for High-Quality Fuel Loading of Haiyang Nuclear Power Unit 3 Convened

On September 1, Shandong Nuclear Power organized a themed joint Party building learning session and the mobilization meeting for high-quality fuel loading of Haiyang Nuclear Power Unit 3. Centering on the goal of high-quality fuel loading for Unit 3, the meeting further unified understanding, clarified responsibilities, and promoted the safe, orderly, and high-quality implementation of fuel loading preparations, laying the foundation for the subsequent commissioning of the Phase II project of Haiyang Nuclear Power. The meeting conducted a themed joint Party building learning session. The Haiyang Project Department of Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI), the Commissioning Center of SNERDI, China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction Co., Ltd., and Jiangsu Electric Power Construction No. 3 Engineering Company respectively reported on the fuel loading preparation status of Unit 3. Participants discussed topics including Party building leading project breakthroughs and ensuring high-quality fuel loading of Unit 3. The meeting also commended...

2026-09-02

U.S. Laboratory and Company Collaborate to Advance TRISO Thorium Fuel Development

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the United States is collaborating with micro nuclear reactor startup AMPERA to advance next-generation reactor fuel development using novel metal particle manufacturing technology. The collaboration focuses on tristructural isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel, aiming to provide more durable fuel solutions for advanced reactors operating at higher temperatures and with longer service lifetimes. Small modular nuclear fission reactors are viewed as a distributed energy option deployable in remote areas, military installations, and industrial sites. Compared with traditional light-water reactors, some advanced reactors...

2026-09-01

Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 Outage 218 Officially Commences

At 2:20 AM on September 1, Unit 2 of Qinshan Phase II was disconnected from the East China Power Grid, marking the official commencement of Outage 218. This outage is a Category C overhaul for Unit 2 of Qinshan Phase II. In addition to the routine annual overhaul items such as reactor coolant system head removal and installation, fuel handling, SG eddy current inspection and flushing, it also includes important special tasks such as generator rotor removal, insertion and inspection, diesel generator excitation system renovation, PSR weakness anti-boron dilution modification, reactor coolant system automatic makeup and residual heat removal eddy current detection function, and nuclear island low-voltage switchgear renovation. The planned items for this outage total 6,119: including 3,764 preventive items, 171 strategic maintenance items, 789 periodic tests, 133 modification work orders, and 1,262 other types of work.

2026-09-01

Tennessee Issues First-Ever Commercial Fusion-Specific Permit in the U.S. to Type One Energy

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has issued Type One Energy the state's first permit specifically for a fusion energy facility, allowing the company to advance fusion-related projects at the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Bull Run Energy Complex in Clinton. Tennessee officials stated this is the first permit of its kind in the United States issued under a new state-level fusion regulatory framework. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, alongside fusion energy partners, presented the first U.S. permit specifically for a commercial fusion facility on Monday at the Organization of American States (OAS) annual meeting in Nashville. (LR) TVA Interim...

2026-09-01

Fuel Loading Begins at U.S. Palisades Nuclear Plant to Advance Restart

Holtec Nuclear announced on August 31 that fuel loading has begun into the reactor pressure vessel at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, U.S. This milestone marks a critical step toward restoring operation at the permanently shut down commercial nuclear plant, advancing the restart process into Mode 6, the refueling mode, under the plant's technical specifications. The Palisades reactor core consists of 204 fuel assemblies, including new fuel and partially used fuel remaining from the plant's previous operating cycle. The core is designed to support the plant's 805 MW electrical output. Holtec...

2026-09-01

U.S. Lightbridge Selected for DOE LaunchPad INL Program to Advance Commercialization of Advanced Nuclear Fuel

Lightbridge Corporation, a U.S. advanced nuclear fuel technology company, announced on August 31 that it has been selected for the Nuclear Energy LaunchPad program (LaunchPad INL) managed by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The company stated that the program will provide an accelerated pathway for it to design, construct, and operate a dedicated facility at INL to manufacture lead test assemblies (LTAs) of Lightbridge Fuel™, with subsequent testing supported at U.S. commercial nuclear power plants. Lead test assemblies are generally regarded as a critical qualification step for nuclear fuel after reactor testing and before commercial fuel sales...

2026-09-01

Kansai Electric Power Applies to Build Dry Cask Storage Facilities for Spent Fuel

Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) announced on August 31 that it has submitted an application to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) seeking approval for the design and construction plans of dry cask storage facilities for spent fuel at its Mihama and Takahama nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture. The company plans to begin construction in 2027 and aims to complete the facilities by 2029. This application covers the first-phase construction at the Mihama and Takahama nuclear power plants. KEPCO had previously planned to build a total of four dry cask storage facilities for spent fuel at three nuclear power plants within Fukui Prefecture, including the Mihama, Takahama, and Ohi nuclear power plants. Currently, the related project at the Ohi nuclear power plant and the second-phase construction at the Takahama nuclear power plant remain...

2026-09-01

Japan Requests Hitachiomiya City in Ibaraki Prefecture to Conduct Literature Survey for High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Site

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on August 31 requested Hitachiomiya City in Ibaraki Prefecture to conduct a literature survey, as the first step in siting a final disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant operations. If Hitachiomiya City agrees, it will become the fifth municipality in Japan to accept such a literature survey, and the second time the Japanese government has proactively requested a survey from a local government, following Minamitorishima in Ogasawara Village, Tokyo. On the same day, Takashi Kume, Vice Commissioner of Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, visited the Hitachiomiya City government and submitted the survey request to Mayor Sadanori Suzuki. Suzuki stated that he personally takes a positive stance toward accepting the literature survey, and noted that the city faces issues such as rapid population decline and a weak local economy, adding that if the area has favorable geological conditions, participating in the national geological disposal policy would be of "significant importance." He said he would make a decision after hearing the views of the city assembly, with the matter possibly being discussed at the regular assembly meeting as early as September.

2026-09-01